Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 25: Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust (PNBMT) held a meeting today to chalk out a course of action to fast forward the campaign for the passage of the all important Temples and Shrines Bill in Kashmir.
General secretary of the Trust, Shadi Lal Koul Rais and its secretary, Sundri Lal Koul briefed the members about the feedback received from all across the globe regarding the efforts of the Trust in taking the temple bill towards its logical conclusion. The meeting was also addressed by patron of the Trust Kashmiri Lal.
Chairman of the Trust, Roshan Lal Pandita in his address expressed satisfaction over the fact that the Trust has been able to bring the Temples Bill as a core agenda of the community. He said that it is only due to the sincere efforts of the Trust members that the Temples Bill finds resonance in New York, California and South Africa. Roshan Lal Pandita added that the Trust has been able to enlist the support of all the major KP organisations and it gives us strength and confidence to move forward with renewed vigour for the passage of the Temples & Shrines Bill. In endorsement of our noble mission more and more political groups are also coming forward in support of the Temples Bill and this gives us reason to believe that the day is not far when the Temples Bill would be passed.
Vice chairman of the Trust Shiban Khaibri said that the Bill envisages a management of the temples in Kashmir where the bodies would be democratically elected with transparency and accountability. He added that once such elected bodies are in place under the Temples Bill, the illegal sale purchase and any kind of appropriation of the temples properties would be checked.
Shiban Khaibri said that there are more than 1400 temples and shrines across the length and breadth of the Kashmir valley as enumerated by the Trust. The passage of the Temples Bill would also act as a big confidence measure for the resettlement of the Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir, he added.
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